- Stress and burnout. Long hours, shift work and time away from home wear on sleep, mood and relationships.
- A short fuse. Anger that is starting to cost something at home or at work.
- Relationship strain. Conflict, separation or co-parenting.
- Low mood that does not look like sadness. In men, depression often shows up as irritability, withdrawal, overwork or drinking more.
- Anxiety and poor sleep. Racing thoughts, panic or lying awake at 3am.
- A change that has not settled. Grief, an injury, a job loss or becoming a father.
Because these do not always look like a mental health problem, they are easy to explain away. If something has been getting worse for a few months, that is reason enough to talk to someone.